Flexible, flat pouch with port for mixing and delivering powder-liquid mixture

Abstract

A pouch for mixing and dispensing a composition including a pouch body and a port body. The pouch body includes opposing, first and second major flexible walls sealed to one another along respective peripheries thereof to define an internal chamber and a pouch perimeter. The pouch body has a C-like shape. The port body projects from the first wall and is fluidly open to the internal chamber. With this configuration, various components, such as a powder component and a liquid component, can be mixed by a user's hand(s) in pressing the walls in a kneading fashion, with the resultant composition being dispensed through the port body. In some embodiments, the pouch is provided to a user with a powder component pre-loaded in the internal chamber.

1 . A pouch for mixing and dispensing a composition, the pouch comprising:
 a pouch body including:
 opposing, first and second major flexible walls sealed to one another along respective peripheries thereof to define an internal chamber and a pouch perimeter, 
 wherein the pouch body has a C-like shape; and 
   a port body projecting from the first wall and fluidly open to the internal chamber.   
   
   
       2 . The pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the pouch perimeter includes:
 opposing, first and second end edges; and   opposing, first and second side edges extending between the end edges;   wherein relative to a common plane defined by the end edges and side edges, the side edges are curved in extension between the end edges.   
   
   
       3 . The pouch of  claim 2 , wherein relative to the common plane, the end edges are substantially linear in extension between the side edges. 
   
   
       4 . The pouch of  claim 2 , wherein an arc length of the first side edge is greater than an arc length of the second side edge. 
   
   
       5 . The pouch of  claim 2 , wherein a linear length of the first side edge is greater than a linear length of the second side edge. 
   
   
       6 . The pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the pouch perimeter is substantially inelastic. 
   
   
       7 . The pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the pouch body is configured to maintain the C-like shape in both an empty state and a filled state of the internal chamber. 
   
   
       8 . The pouch of  claim 1 , wherein a volume of the internal chamber is defined by an area formed by the pouch perimeter and a distance between the first and second walls, and further wherein the pouch perimeter is constant and the distance between the first and second walls is variable. 
   
   
       9 . The pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the C-like shape of the pouch body includes a central portion and opposing wing portions extending from the central portion, and further wherein the port body is provided within the central portion. 
   
   
       10 . The pouch of  claim 1 , wherein extension of the port body from the first wall is perpendicular to a common plane defined by the pouch perimeter. 
   
   
       11 . The pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the port body is configured to receive a dispensing end of a syringe device in a fluidly sealed manner relative to the internal chamber. 
   
   
       12 . The pouch of  claim 1 , wherein the pouch body is configured such that upon placement of the second side wall on a flat surface, the pouch perimeter is parallel with the flat surface and the port body extends perpendicular relative to the flat surface. 
   
   
       13 . The pouch of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a cap selectively mounted to the port body opposite the first wall.   
   
   
       14 . A method of preparing a composition, the method comprising:
 providing a pouch including a pouch body and a port body, the pouch body defined by opposing, first and second major flexible wall sealed to one another along respective peripheries to define an internal chamber and a pouch perimeter, the pouch body having a C-like shape, wherein the port body projects from the first major wall and is fluidly open to the internal chamber;   placing at least two materials into the internal chamber;   mixing the materials within the internal chamber by pressing the side walls toward another by a user's fingers to create a composition; and   dispensing the composition from the internal chamber via the port body.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein placing at least two materials into the internal chamber includes:
 a) placing a powder component into the internal chamber; and   b) injecting a liquid component into the internal chamber via the port body.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the powder component is a carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) gel product in powdered form. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the pouch further includes a cap removably applied to the port body, and further wherein placing materials into the internal chamber further includes:
 dispensing a quantity of the powder component into the internal chamber;   closing the port body with the cap;   providing the powder-filled pouch to a user;   placing the second major wall on a flat surface;   removing the cap from the port body;   providing a syringe containing a volume of the liquid component;   fluidly connecting an outlet end of the syringe with the port body;   operating the syringe by the user to inject the liquid component from the syringe into the internal chamber; and   replacing the cap prior to mixing the materials.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein operating the syringe includes the liquid component flowing into the internal chamber in a direction perpendicular to a direction of extension of the port body from the first major wall. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the pouch body defines a central portion and opposing wing portions extending from the central portion, the port body being arranged in the central portion, the method further comprising:
 fluidly connecting a syringe to the port body following mixing of the materials;   delivering the composition from the internal chamber to the syringe, including folding the opposing wing portions toward one another in a direction opposite the port body to force the composition contained in the internal region toward the port body.   
   
   
       20 . A method of manufacturing a pouch for use in preparing a medical substance, the method comprising:
 forming first and second flexible walls each having a periphery defining a C-like shape;   partially sealing the peripheries to form a pouch body having an open end fluidly open to an internal chamber;   assembling a port body to the first wall, the port body being fluidly connected to the internal chamber;   dispensing a powder component into the internal chamber; and   sealing the open end to contain the powder component within the internal chamber.